I spent three days, on and off, trying to get my identity validated through ID.me for accessing the IRS.gov website. Had to provide a photo of my state driver license, plus two other things (really bizarre stuff in that list I must say). Well, apparently the photo of my DL wasn't good enough, so I had to do videoconference and hold it up to the camera for Jake from State Farm (actually Bernard from ID.me). The on-screen hold kept varying from 52 min to 22 min, back to 25 min. I gave up several times and finally got through to Jake on Friday. Once he was on-screen, it took twenty seconds for me to hold up my DL to the webcam. By then I forgot why I was trying to get to the IRS web site.
I use Consumer Cellular as my smartphone carrier. I used their website's chat feature to request a SIM card I could use overseas. Three days later, the no-charge SIM card arrived, I popped it in the phone in two minutes, called their 800 number and had it activated and functioning in another two. Just as easy as it should be.
Compare and Contrast - Cox Cable is our TV/Internet/Landline provider. I used their website's chat feature to order a multi-channel cable card for a new TiVo DVR. TWO HOURS, 3 CSAs, 3 re-identifications, PIN numbers, challenge questions, repetitions of what I was calling for, and refusal of upsellings I was rewarded with a $6/month cable card. Three days later it arrived and I installed it, called their 800 number, and THREE HOURS later had it activated and only partially functioning, and now must call and arrange a tech visit for $???/hour to fix it.
Dan, that was EXACTLY what I was going through. After fighting the ID.me war (and the video call bagging out on me for no known reason after an hour of waiting) I tried the IRS on the phone and, after going through more phone trees than George of the Jungle, got my call dumped due to high volume. Bastiches!
And Mongo, I'm glad I don't have Cox Cable -- Optimum is bad enough.
4 comments:
I spent three days, on and off, trying to get my identity validated through ID.me for accessing the IRS.gov website. Had to provide a photo of my state driver license, plus two other things (really bizarre stuff in that list I must say).
Well, apparently the photo of my DL wasn't good enough, so I had to do videoconference and hold it up to the camera for Jake from State Farm (actually Bernard from ID.me).
The on-screen hold kept varying from 52 min to 22 min, back to 25 min. I gave up several times and finally got through to Jake on Friday.
Once he was on-screen, it took twenty seconds for me to hold up my DL to the webcam.
By then I forgot why I was trying to get to the IRS web site.
I use Consumer Cellular as my smartphone carrier. I used their website's chat feature to request a SIM card I could use overseas. Three days later, the no-charge SIM card arrived, I popped it in the phone in two minutes, called their 800 number and had it activated and functioning in another two. Just as easy as it should be.
Compare and Contrast - Cox Cable is our TV/Internet/Landline provider. I used their website's chat feature to order a multi-channel cable card for a new TiVo DVR. TWO HOURS, 3 CSAs, 3 re-identifications, PIN numbers, challenge questions, repetitions of what I was calling for, and refusal of upsellings I was rewarded with a $6/month cable card. Three days later it arrived and I installed it, called their 800 number, and THREE HOURS later had it activated and only partially functioning, and now must call and arrange a tech visit for $???/hour to fix it.
Dan, that was EXACTLY what I was going through. After fighting the ID.me war (and the video call bagging out on me for no known reason after an hour of waiting) I tried the IRS on the phone and, after going through more phone trees than George of the Jungle, got my call dumped due to high volume. Bastiches!
And Mongo, I'm glad I don't have Cox Cable -- Optimum is bad enough.
IRS call centers answered *eleven percent* of calls in FY 2021. They are woefully understaffed and the problem has been getting worse.
Receipts: https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ARC21_MSP_03_Telephone.pdf
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